£18m netted through river angling

The report said angling contributed £18m a year to the economy

Fishing on the River Tweed brings about £18m into the Borders economy every year, a new study has claimed.

The report ordered by the river's commissioners also credited angling with directly supporting 487 jobs.

The average spend by anglers visiting from abroad was £189-a-day compared to just £56-a-day by other visitors.

The River Tweed Commission, which is in charge of increasing fish stocks in the river, said the report highlighted how valuable the pursuit was for the area.

Clerk to the commission Nick Yonge said the survey underlined how important it had been to invest in the river.

"Each year we are seeing more anglers coming to the Tweed and this is reflected in a marked increase in the number of weeks let," he said.

Anglers from outside Scotland spends on average £189 a day

"The challenge for us now is to maintain and hopefully further enhance our stock of salmon and sea-trout - thus ensuring that we continue to play a pivotal role in the Borders economy."

The report also identified indirect benefits which it said stemmed from the quality of fishing on the Tweed.

It claimed it was the reason why many individuals and businesses decided to live or be based in the Borders.

Tourism manager at Scottish Enterprise Borders, Alan Elliott, said the study justified the money spent on the river.

"The increase in rod catches is partly due to the substantial investment by SEB, the Tweed Commission and others several years ago to improve the habitat for fish," he said.

"At the time some were sceptical about the value of this investment.

"But this new study confirms the benefits of that work and shows that the associated improvements in tourism-related facilities have had a direct impact in terms of visitors, spending and jobs in the area."